An Asian-Driven Economic Recovery in Africa? The Zambian Case

SummaryEconomic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa has recently increased dramatically, largely driven by Chinese demand and investment. This paper explores the nature of this growth through a Zambian case study. While China’s role is important there are other global and regional powers, and national factors which substantially shape the current developmental trajectory. Similarities to previous rounds of extractive globalization notwithstanding, with greater inter-African coordination, there is scope for South-South cooperation to have a substantial poverty reduction impact in the future. Consequently, the new “scalar alignment” opens up the possibility of a poverty reducing development regime.